MADAM,

I wonder who is in charge of MCC. Recent events suggest it is their planning department who dream up schemes and the councillors nod, either in approval or mistakenly in their sleep. The development of Morrisons, Abergavenny, the restrictions in Church Street, Monmouth and St Johns Square Abergavenny, and the proposed large housing development in Raglan are examples where either the planners are wrong – heaven forbid – or the councillors are demonstrating an ignorance of the communities they purport to represent. Or perhaps they prefer supporting the larger enterprises at the expense of the smaller ones?

Often local authorities are either councillor led or officer led. In the better examples it is an energetic and creative partnership between the two but with recent issues I am beginning to wonder if the councillors in MCC are up to their responsibilities. Were they not aware of local views? Did they not examine and discuss these issues more closely with their officers? It is significant that the councillors with portfolios for Strong Communities and for Operations now organise a meeting after the inevitable protests to their decision.

Of course we may get the standard councillors bleat, particularly at election time, that they have served their community for x number of years and there will be residents who speak with gratitude that they’ve fixed a street light or had the grass cut. But perhaps the “beautiful and vibrant places,” mentioned by Councillor Jones deserve a newer sense of cooperative community development that may engender a different culture in MCC.

At the moment we are landed with whom we voted for – and there’s the rub – we voted them in. But, remember their role with these issues and the margin between being elected, or not, can be very small.

Peter Joignant

(Usk)